Instrument for reducing bone fractures



Dec- 17, 1963 c. w. CARPENTER ETAL 3,114,367

INSTRUMENT FOR REDUCING BONE FRACTURES Filed May 8, 1961 INVENTORS. 24 4 60 .4 //vs w- (we/ 51v 75 fdelgf G. Min 41.

THEIR ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,114,367 INSTRUMEIIT FGR REDUCENG BGNE FRACTURES Coiliais W. Carpenter, West Lake Road, RD. 5, and

Roderick G. Neweil, 13 Scotland Sh, both of (32mmdaigua, NY.

Filed May 8, 1961, Ser. No. 1.085% 2 Claims. (Cl. 12883) This invention relates to surgical instruments for use in the open reduction of bone fractures and, more particularly, to instruments comprising a plurality of spaced and relatively movable pairs of relatively movable clamping members, with the members of each pair connected medially to provide cooperating pairs of handles and bone clamping jaws, in the nature of forceps, for clamping to fractured bone parts, respectively, to bring the fractured parts together in properly set position, one object of the invention being to provide an improved instrument of the above type in which the pairs of clamping members are connected together by means affording full universal adjusting movement therebetween, to properly apply the jaws to the fractured parts and bring them in position for permanent setting, together with means for thereafter locking the pairs of members against relative movement during the application of splint plates or other securing means.

Another object is the provision of an instrument of the above character in which the means movably connecting the pairs of clamping members is adapted to be locked to each pair by a single handle means, to securely hold the said pairs of members against relative movement thereetween.

A further object is to supply such an instrument in which each pair of clamping members is detachable from the instrument for clamping attachment separately to one of the fractured parts and thereafter connected to the other pair or pairs of clamping members for conjoint operation.

Still a further object is the provision of an instrument having the above and other advantages and a relatively simple construction capable of being readily and economically manufactured and effective and convenient in use.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, and the novel features being pointed out in the claims a" the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an instrument embodying the present invention and showing the same applied to a fractured bone;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the same partly broken away and partly in section on the line 2--2 in PK}. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of parts on the line 3-3 in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line 44 in FIG. 1.

The invention is embodied in the present instance, by way of illustration, in an instrument for reducing bone fractures comprising two pairs, it and 12., of clamping members, each pair comprising a member 14 and a member 36 connected to each other medially, as by pivot means (not shown) to provide handle portions 13 and Zti and oppositely extending, cooperating jaw portions 22 and 2%, each having its inner face serrated for gripping en gagement with a fractured bone part 26. One of the cooperating members of each pair, as the jaw end 22 of member 14, has fixed therein a stud 22* carrying at its upper end a spherical or ball-shaped part 36 (FIG. 4), forming part of means for connecting the pairs of clamps, as hereafter described. The handle ends of members 14 and 16 are each formed with a ring (FIG. 1) for finger engagement and with a spur 3i, serrated on one face to ddidfib? Patented Dec. 1?, 1%633 overlap and engage withsirnilar serrations on the other part 31 and releasably lock the handles together in position for clamping the jaws 22 and 24 on a bone part.

Means are provided for connecting said pairs of clamping members 10 and 12, comprising preferably a pair of spaced, elongated and relatively movable parts or bars 34 and 36 in substantially parallel arrangement, as shown,

' each having its inner face adjacent its opposite ends formed with semi-spherically shaped sockets 3t; and 4% for reception, respectively, of the ball parts 3d and 32 of the pairs of clamping members 14- and 1d. The pairs of members or forceps are thus removably connected to the bars 34 and 3d and to each other by ball and socket means for relatively universal movement to adjust the same to the bone parts to be joined. Bar 34 is formed with a central opening for loosely receiving a short threaded spindle i2 fixed in and extending from the lower end of an L-shaped handle 54. Spindle 42 extends loosely through an opening in bar 36 and its outer end is provided with a nut for cooperation with means for forcing the bars 34 and 36 toward each other in clamping engagement with the balls 3'9 and 32.

The means for locking bars 34 and 36 to the pairs of clamping members i4 and 16 preferably comprises a pair of cam plates 46 spaced apart to embrace therebetween the lower end of handle 44 and carried integrally by an auxiliary handle 48 which is pivoted to handle 44 by :1 pi. The profiles of the cams bear against the adjacent surface of bar 36 and are turned to progressively bear against the bar by means of handle 48. The engagement of these parts is regulated by the nut 43 on the outer end of spindle as. The cam plates or disks have fixed thereto a connecting bar 52 carrying a spindle 54 threaded therein and arranged for releasable engagement in a threaded opening in the lower end of handle 44, as shown, to releasably secure handle 48 and its cams in clamping position.

The outer ends of clamping jaws 22 and 24 are each provided with openings, as 56, for pinning t e clamp in adjusted position on its associated bone part. While we have shown only two pairs of clamping members 14 and 16, it is obvious that the bars 34 and 36 can be provided with additional pairs of similar clamping members, if so desired.

The application and use of such bone clamping memhers is made difficult by the irregular shapes and varying angles of the bone part and the necessity for avoiding unnecessary disturbance or injury of the adjacent tissues. Each pair of clamping members 14 and 16 may be separated from the rest of the instrument by releasing screw 54 and backing off nut 43, if necessary, to free its ball part, as 35. The clamping members may thus be applied separately and independently to their respective bone parts, or applied conjointly While connected to the instrument as a whole, since the clamping members have complete universal pivoting movement initially for locating their clamping jaws on the bone structure. With the clamping members firmly clamped in proper position on their respective bone parts and assembled with bars 34 and 36, the bone parts are brought together in proper position for permanent setting, assisted by relative movement ofthe pairs of clamping members. With the bone parts properly set, handle 48 is drawn back toward handle 44, so as to rotate the cam profiles 46 against bar 36 and firmly clamp all of the parts together. The bone parts may then be drilled and a splint plate or other fastening means a plied to secure the bone parts in properly'set relation, as well understood in the applicable surgical skill.

' The invention provides an improved instrument of the above character in which the forceps or other clamps may be applied with completely universal movement and freely angled in any direction as required by particular applicaa tions and conditions. They may be applied one at a time or conjointly with the instrument as a whole, with a minimum disturbance of adjacent tissues. The constructions of the instrument and its parts are relatively simple, convenient to manipulate and convenient in use.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects and while it has been herein disclosed by reference to the details of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that various modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a surgical instrument for reducing bone fractures and holding fractured bone parts in position for permanent setting, a plurality of pairs of clamping members with the members of each pair movably connected togcther medially to provide cooperating handle portions and clamping jaws, a pair of spaced, elongated and relatively movable clamping parts having universal connection with one of each pair of clamping members, manually operable handle means adjustably connected with one of said parts provided with cam means pivotally mounted thereon for engagement with the other of said parts to move the same to adjustably clamp said universal connections against movement, manually operable auxiliary handle means fixed to said cam means and pivotally mounted on the first mentioned handle means to extend adjacent and generally parallel with the first mentioned handle means for operation conjointly therewith for clamping said parts together and means for releasably securing said auxiliary handle means in adjusted clamping position on the first mentioned handle means.

2. In a surgical instru tent for reducing bone fractures and holding fractured bone parts in position for permanent setting, a plurality of pairs of clamping members with the members of each pair movably connected medially to provide cooperating handle portions and clamping jaws, a pair of spaced, elongated and relatively movable clamping parts having universal connection with one of each pair of clamping members, a common handle means for manipulating said clamping members having a spindle extending slidably through openings in each of said parts and having a screw threaded end, a nut on said spindle end for engagement with one of said parts, cam means pivotally mounted on said handle means for engagement with the other of said parts to move said parts together to adjustably clamp said universal connections against movement, manually operable auxiliary handle means connected to said cam means and movably mounted on said first mentioned handle means to extend adjacent said first handle means for operation conjointly therewith for clamping said parts together and means for releasably securing said auxiliary handle means in adjusted clamping position on said first handle means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 594,874 Holmes Dec. 7, 1897 2,102,287 Smethers Dec. 14, 1937 2,836,139 Holmberg May 27, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Bone and Joint Instruments by V. Mueller & Co., Chicago (16 pages, only FiG. BS-2l2, page 16, relied upon) (Copy in Div. 55, Nov. 4, 1937). 

1. IN A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FOR REDUCING BONE FRACTURES AND HOLDING FRACTURED BONE PARTS IN POSITION FOR PERMANENT SETTING, A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF CLAMPING MEMBERS WITH THE MEMBERS OF EACH PAIR MOVABLY CONNECTED TOGETHER MEDIALLY TO PROVIDE COOPERATING HANDLE PORTIONS AND CLAMPING JAWS, A PAIR OF SPACED, ELONGATED AND RELATIVELY MOVABLE CLAMPING PARTS HAVING UNIVERSAL CONNECTION WITH ONE OF EACH PAIR OF CLAMPING MEMBERS, MANUALLY OPERABLE HANDLE MEANS ADJUSTABLY CONNECTED WITH ONE OF SAID PARTS AND PROVIDED WITH CAM MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED THEREON FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OTHER OF SAID PARTS TO MOVE THE SAME TO ADJUSTABLY CLAMP SAID UNIVERSAL CONNECTIONS AGAINST MOVEMENT, MANUALLY OPERABLE AUXILIARY HANDLE MEANS FIXED TO SAID CAM MEANS AND PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE FIRST MENTIONED HANDLE MEANS TO EXTEND ADJACENT AND GENERALLY PARALLEL WITH THE FIRST MENTIONED HANDLE MEANS FOR OPERATION CONJOINTLY THEREWITH FOR CLAMPING SAID PARTS TOGETHER AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING SAID AUXILIARY HANDLE MEANS IN ADJUSTED CLAMPING POSITION ON THE FIRST MENTIONED HANDLE MEANS. 